Japan to send military planes to Kabul to evacuate Japanese

Japan is sending three military aircraft to Afghanistan to evacuate Japanese citizens and local staff as security deteriorates following the Taliban takeover

TOKYO -- Japan will send three military aircraft to Afghanistan starting Monday to evacuate Japanese citizens and local staff as security deteriorates following the Taliban takeover, officials said. Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said the planes will pick up Japanese nationals and Afghans who worked for the Japanese Embassy and development agencies. “The local situation is rapidly becoming fluid ... and we are doing everything we can to get them out of the country,” Kishi said. The area around Kabul's international airport remains filled with thousands of people trying to flee the country after the Taliban takeover.